The bench press is considered one of the calling cards of any athlete, it is included in the program of powerlifting competitions, and in Europe there are even separate bench press competitions. Usually beginners have no problem increasing the barbell weight in the bench press. However, sooner or later, stagnation in results begins for everyone.
If an athlete has been pressing the same weight for months or years without any hope of progress, this may be the result of overwork, overtraining, habituation of the body to stress, or weakness of ligaments and tendons. It happens that an athlete simply does not correctly bench press, or simply neglects auxiliary exercises.
Overwork
Many "purposeful" athletes literally exhaust themselves with training in the hope of winning championship titles faster. In fact, under heavy loads, it is more important for the human body to fully recover than to fully load. Try taking a break from your workout for about a month. Don't worry, your fitness will recover quickly. After your vacation, try changing your training schedule. If you previously trained three times a week, try doing 2 or even 1 time. Or use split systems: load 1-2 muscle groups at each workout. Try increasing rest between sets.
To strengthen the ligaments, it is necessary to periodically perform isometric or static exercises. For example, on the bench press, do a partial squeeze and hold the projectile in bent arms for as long as possible. Or, during push-ups from the floor, keep the support lying on bent arms for as long as possible. Isometric and static exercises work mainly on the ligaments and tendons. Therefore, they can be performed on non-workout days.
Bench press
Under high loads, the correct posture can help the athlete lift much more weight than usual. Check if you are doing the exercise correctly. The bar should be at eye level. Place your feet on the floor as close to the bench as possible. Bring the shoulder blades together, pull them back a little and press firmly against the bench. Tighten your torso muscles, bend your back slightly, lift your chest and expand. The back deflection should not be too large, otherwise the risk of injury to the lower back increases. By arching the back, any athlete can improve their performance by about 20%.
When grabbing the bar, be sure to wrap your fingers around the bar. The grip should be firm, the bar is in the palms of the hands closer to the wrists. Straighten your wrists themselves, and keep your hands strictly fixed.
If the athlete has long arms, strong pectoral muscles, but weak front delts or triceps, his grip should be wider, and his elbows should look outward. With short arms, weak chest muscles, but strong delts or triceps, use a narrower grip with your elbows against the body.
Always ask your partner to remove the barbell. As soon as the grip is fixed, immediately begin the exercise, without lingering too long. Lower the bar so that the bar in the lower position is at the level of the nipples. As you touch the bar on your chest, hold it for a second and start moving upward. Do not let the bar bounce against your chest. This is cheating, it is prohibited in competitions and threatens injury in training.
Try lifting the barbell while holding your breath. Lower the barbell while inhaling, then hold your breath, squeeze and exhale. This breathing control technique provides physiological support to the body as it overcomes the critical point.
In addition, additional exercises are often helpful in increasing the bench press, developing the strength of the deltas and triceps, which also help to lift heavier weights.
